1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to scrub sponges, and in particular relates to a sponge especially suited for cleaning arms, hands, fingernails and cuticles prior to a surgical procedure.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Prior to a surgical procedure in an operating room, it is essential that the surgeon and the assistants thoroughly clean and disinfect their hands and arms. Particular attention must be paid to the areas under the fingernails and around the cuticles, as they are especially prone to trapping infective agents. It is most desirable that this can be performed in the simplest and most expeditious manner. An assortment of scrub brushes is normally available to be utilized in this mandatory scrubbing procedure. Brushes having long and relatively soft bristles are intended for cleaning the large exposed surfaces of the arms and hands, while brushes having relatively short and stiff bristles are used for cleaning in and around the cuticles and under the fingernails. In order to further simplify and expedite this procedure, devices have been described that combine in a single brush, long and soft as well as short and stiff bristles, see, for instance, Baumgartner, U.S. Pat. No. 3,354,492. Complex geometric configurations of bristles of various lengths are disclosed in Abramson, U.S. Pat. No. 3,966,335, to allow the simultaneous cleansing of four fingers. Gilman et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,420,853 and 4,479,277, discloses a device in which a bristle surface is combined with a sponge, in addition to providing a pointed implement for cleaning under the fingernails. A cleansing solution and/or an anti-microbial solution can be absorbed in the sponge, to facilitate an efficient cleansing and disinfecting of the hands.
All of the described devices which employ an array of bristles require a reasonably rigid base to prevent substantial deformation of the scrub brush during use. Although useful insofar as providing the required support to the bristles, this property does have the disadvantage of limiting the device to rather superficial movements, as maneuvering in between the fingers, for example, would require a substantial deformation of the brush as a whole.
A further disadvantage, especially in the more specialized devices, is their rather complex and therefore relatively expensive structure requiring the use of a number of different types of materials and their intricate assembly. As the use of all such devices in a surgical environment precludes their reuse, it is most desirable that they be relatively inexpensive and therefore readily disposable.
Another shortcoming that has not been overcome in the prior art designs is the provision of a single device that facilitates the intimate introduction of antimicrobial solution into and under the cuticle areas. While stiff bristles can penetrate the cuticle area and a sponge can supply antiseptic solution, no device has been described that efficiently fulfills both functions simultaneously.